ABU DHABI, — Coinciding with Eid al-Fitr and summer holidays, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has urged the UAE nationals travelling abroad to follow the travel guidelines and procedures publicised through the official local media, the MoFA’s social networking sites and the UAE missions abroad.

The move reflects the MoFA’s keenness to facilitate citizens’ travel and ensure their safety while abroad.

Rashid Ali Al Dhaheri, Acting Director of Citizens’ Affairs at the MoFA, called on the citizens to follow the travel guidelines and tips as well as the travel warnings on the citizens affairs page of the website of the Ministry, which includes all the information and customised services for citizens travelling abroad, whether tourists or students on scholarships or those travelling for treatment.

He added that the travel guidelines facilitate all their consular transactions to ensure their safety and security abroad and to enable them to spend holidays without any problems or obstacles.

Al Dhaheri urged the travellers to register in the ‘khaidma tawajudi’, which means ‘my presence service’ to enable the MoFA and the missions abroad to communicate with them in case of any emergency or crisis during their travel and presence abroad, through the website of the Foreign Ministry www.mofa.gov.ae or smartphone application ‘UAEMOFA’, adding that the arrangement is meant to respond directly to inquiries from citizens through the “My presence” (Twajudi) on the social networking site on Twitter account.

He called on the citizens to respect the general laws of the host country to represent the UAE honourably abroad, urging them to cooperate with the official authorities upon arrival at the host country’s airport by disclosing some important personal information if asked, such as the duration of stay, accommodation, airfare and the date of return and the amount of cash they will have during their presence in the host country.

Al Dhaheri noted that passengers arriving or departing from European Union countries, carrying an amount of 10,000 euros or more in cash should disclose the amount to the customs officer.

He cautioned the citizens not to travel to the trouble spots, urging them to choose the right housing in terms of security and safety and avoid places where there are no such conditions. Al Dhaheri added that they should not leave the doors of apartments or rooms open. They should confirm the identity of any visitor before opening the doors, and must not leave children alone outside, and should avoid going out, especially late at night.

Al Dhaheri also stressed the importance of avoiding wearing valuables that draw attention in public places frequented by people from various nationalities. In the event of escorting non-citizens, normal procedures must be followed to issue the prior entry visa and a written undertaking from a sponsor to incur expenses of a housemaid.

He called on the citizens to keep the emergency numbers to communicate with the Ministry or the State’s mission or contact on the number of countries, where there is no diplomatic representation of the UAE, to be used in the event of any emergency. They can call 00971- 600599991. Al Dhaheri wished happiness to the citizens to spend a happy and safe holiday and return to their homeland in peace. – WAM/Majok